Book picks similar to
As All Our Fires Burn by Hildred Billings
romance
short
cute-girl
lesbian-character
Soul Unique
Gun Brooke - 2015
She has created an empire by discovering and developing new artists. When she agrees to visit an art school in Boston, she encounters a woman, Hayden Rowe, whose paintings take her breath away. Greer realizes Hayden is not a student, but lives in a remote wing of the school and the maddeningly frustrating headmaster is her mother.Mesmerized by Hayden and her art, Greer learns the young woman has Asperger syndrome. Hayden awakens something in Greer she didn’t know she was capable of. Having suffered from a profound loneliness for most of her life, Greer develops an overshadowing love and protectiveness toward Hayden. As she learns more about Hayden and her heartbreaking family situation, Greer is amazed at how courageous and brilliant she is. Can there be a future with a woman like this, and will Hayden, who can only put words to her emotions through her paintings, return her feelings?
Frame by Frame
C.J. Murphy - 2017
She travels the U.S. as a photographer for Rider magazine. A self-proclaimed nomad, Val has little inclination to settle down. But something keeps calling her back to a little tourist trap called Cool Springs in rural West Virginia. The sign at the quirky little store boasts, “Good food, groceries, ice cream, hardware, feed store, taxidermy, gifts, and gas.” Cool Springs is owned by Laurel Stemple and her grandmother Ree. Laurel is charged with the daily operations of the catch-all little store/diner and the care of her octogenarian grandmother. A frequent visitor, Val has become like family at Cool Springs. Interesting characters like Mule, aptly nicknamed for his braying laughter and Wunder, whose child-like questions keep everyone in stitches, create a unique tapestry of community in the little store. Over the years, Val and Laurel have gradually fallen in love without acknowledging it. Personal secrets and scars have left the pair unable to move toward a relationship. While covering an annual Memorial Day Ride to the Wall, a near tragic accident forces Val and Laurel to confront their feelings and fears.
Passing Through
Jay Northcote - 2015
His job in London takes all his energy and commitment. When he goes to Cornwall to stay with his terminally ill uncle, Edwin, love is the last thing Leo expects to find. Tris lives in a cottage on Edwin’s land. Gay, but still half in the closet, he and Leo bond over their affection for Edwin, and the pull of attraction between them proves too strong to ignore. In Tris’s arms, in the wilds of Cornwall, Leo finds a peace he’d forgotten existed.On his return to London, Leo finds himself grieving for more than just the loss of his uncle. When some unexpected news gives Leo the chance to return to Cornwall, he’s afraid it will be too late to rekindle things with Tris. But having learned much from his stay with his uncle, Leo doesn’t want to look back and wish he’d done things differently. It’s time to seize the day—if it’s not already too late.
The House on Sandstone
K.G. MacGregor - 2005
Now weary of living overseas for one consulting project after another, she’s glad to have two months back in Leland to relax with her aging parents.When she catches a glimpse of her high school friend Justine in the doorway of her elegant home, she is surprised by the warm, famiiar feelings stirred within.Justine Hall made different choices, returning to Leland after college to marry and raise two children. Now divorced, she walks a fine line between sanity and hell, struggling to reconcile the sexuality she can no longer deny with the expectations of motherhood and mores in a small town.
The Wrong McElroy
K.L. Hughes - 2019
Besides, how hard could one festive family weekend be, anyway?That’s before she meets the boisterous McElroy clan, with accents as thick as a homemade pie crust, and an endless supply of competitive siblings, including Lizzie, Michael’s beautiful younger sister.Lizzie seems to be everywhere, with her intoxicating scent, wandering hands, lingering gaze, and that bright, echoing laugh. The more time Fiona spends in her orbit, she wonders how she can even concentrate let alone pull off a convincing fake relationship.An amusing, charming lesbian romance about finding unexpected love inside family expectations.Themes: Christmas · family · holiday romance · POC64,000 words
Hot Head
Damon Suede - 2011
Unfortunately, Dante is strictly a ladies’ man, and the FDNY isn’t exactly gay-friendly. For ten years, Griff has hidden his heart in a half-life of public heroics and private anguish.Griff’s caution and Dante’s cockiness make them an unbeatable team. To protect his buddy, there’s nothing Griff wouldn’t do… until a nearly bankrupt Dante proposes the worst possible solution: HotHead.com, a gay porn website where uniformed hunks get down and dirty. And Dante wants them to appear there—together. Griff may have to guard his heart and live out his darkest fantasies on camera. Can he rescue the man he loves without wrecking their careers, their families, or their friendship?
Wrong Number, Right Woman
Jae - 2020
But then she gets a wrong-number text message from a stranger named Eliza, asking her of all people for dating advice! Eliza is Denny’s total opposite: witty, outgoing—and straight. Despite their differences, the accidental text sparks an unlikely friendship. Soon, Eliza—self-proclaimed queen of disastrous first dates—would rather banter back and forth with Denny than to keep trying her luck at online dating. When they meet in person, there’s an instant connection. But what Eliza is feeling can’t be attraction, right? It doesn’t mean a thing that she’s starting to wish the guys she dates would be more like Denny. Or does it? Can the wrong number lead to the right woman after all? Wrong Number, Right Woman is a light-hearted, slow-burn lesbian romance that embraces likable characters without all the drama.Length: 116,000 wordsTropes & themes: slow-burn romance, low angst, relatable characters, butch/femme, age gap, “toaster oven” romance, craft romance, Portland romance, shy character
Reining in Riley
Claire Britain - 2015
With her sharp tongue and defiant attitude, Riley seems bound for trouble, but there’s something special about her that Joanna can’t bring herself to pass up.After Riley insults one of the company’s senior partners, however, Joanna decides that what the beautiful, free-spirited twenty-seven-year-old needs is structure and consequences. Riley faces a suspension without pay for her misconduct, and when Joanna offers her an alternate proposal she hesitantly agrees. She will work for Joanna at her home office, but first she’ll submit to a thorough, no-nonsense paddling, and any future misbehavior will earn her more of the same, this time on her bare bottom.Joanna’s firm-handed discipline turns out to be just what Riley has been missing, and soon they have become much more than just boss and employee. Yet despite Joanna’s best efforts and Riley’s frequently sore bottom, her wild and careless behavior continues and before long a motorcycle accident almost claims her life. Joanna takes it upon herself to care for her girlfriend, though her treatment often leaves Riley blushing crimson, but once Riley recovers will Joanna be prepared to do whatever it takes to rein her in before it is too late?Publisher’s Note: Reining in Riley is an erotic romance novel that contains spankings, sexual scenes, anal play, elements of medical play, elements of BDSM, and more. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.85,600 words
New Beginnings
K.C. Richardson - 2015
Jordan has vowed never to give her heart to anyone ever again, and has been successful until Kirsten comes into her life.Kirsten Murphy’s marriage is falling apart, but her budding friendship with Jordan is easing her heartache. Kirsten is also discovering her tamped-down attraction to women is resurfacing, and it has everything to do with Jordan.Can Jordan release her self-imposed exile on relationships? Does Kirsten have what it takes for Jordan to finally give her heart to another?
Love Lessons
Heidi Cullinan - 2013
But when he arrives at Hope University, he quickly realizes finding his Prince Charming isn’t so easy. Everyone here is already out. In fact, Kelly could be the only virgin on campus.Worst of all, he’s landed the charming, handsome, gay campus Casanova as a roommate, whose bed might as well be equipped with a revolving door.Walter Lucas doesn’t believe in storybook love. Everyone is better off having as much fun as possible with as many people as possible…except his shy, sad little sack of a roommate is seriously screwing up his world view.As Walter sets out to lure Kelly out of his shell, staying just friends is harder than he anticipated. He discovers love is a crash course in determination. To make the grade, he’ll have to finally show up for class…and overcome his own private fear that love was never meant to last.Warning: This story contains lingering glances, milder than usual sexual content for this author, and a steamy dance-floor kiss. Story has no dairy or egg content, but may contain almonds.
I Can't Think Straight
Shamim Sarif - 2008
As Tala’s wedding day approaches, simmering tensions come to boiling point and the pressure mounts for Tala to be true to herself.Moving between the vast enclaves of Middle Eastern high society and the stunning backdrop of London’s West End, I Can’t Think Straight explores the clashes between East and West, love and marriage, conventions and individuality, creating a humorous and tender story of unexpected love and unusual freedoms.
An Emergence of Green
Katherine V. Forrest - 1986
Suddenly, Carolyn's carefully manicured domestic life seems contrived and much less colorful. And her husband's love for her seems contrived and condescending, as if it's not the real Carolyn he loves at all. His tenderness turns to rage, caresses to blows.
Hard Times
Blayne Cooper - 2007
Terrified and desperate to belong, she sold her soul one piece at a time. She survived to sit atop the ever-shifting trash heap of prison society. Lorna has learned the hard way not to trust anyone, particularly penal system virgins like Kellie Holloway, her unrepentant new cellmate. But Kellie's pride and cluelessness guarantee that without help, she won't last long. Together, Kellie and Lorna navigate through an oppressive, hidden world where the lines between right and wrong blur, sexual passion is forbidden but explosive, and love is the biggest risk of all.
Playing Catch-Up
Zoey Lennox - 2020
When she meets LGBTQ youth counsellor Ramie Ramirez at a dinner party, sparks fly. But Ramie is still putting herself back together after an acrimonious split from her long-term girlfriend and is only looking for something casual. If living with the repercussions of her ex’s lies has taught her one thing, it’s to keep her heart locked up tight.As the two women begin to date, Alexis finds herself in a predicament. She’s never dated a woman before and is afraid Ramie will dump her sorry arse once she finds out.What’s a girl to do? A little lie can’t hurt, right? It’s no big deal. Just a way to even the playing field a little. What could possibly go wrong?
The Reef
Lois Kay - 2003
Just as fast, something deeper develops, but circumstances beyond their control cause a separation and they are forced to split up. Eight years later, Sam Stevens, who works for her father's company, is sent back to Australia after her father has received information that business at 'The Reef', a resort the company owns, is not as it should be. On her first day back, Sam runs into Jody and, immediately, both their worlds are turned upside down. As they try to make sense of the past, they also have to deal with theft, arson, murder, kidnapping and betrayal. While Sam fights to keep herself, Jody and her family safe, will they be able to find a way back to each other?